Haunted
by Blue Obsidian Butterfly
Summary: Root and Shaw au. Freelance computer hacker Root just moved into a new apartment but unfortunately there are a few problems, namely the short dark and sociopathic woman who haunts it.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - Presence

Of all the apartment buildings Root had looked at over the past few weeks this was by far her favourite. It was a brownstone set back from the street, tucked in a quiet little neighbourhood in one of the older districts of New York City. Some might call it quaint but the thing that appealed to her the most, even before she saw the interior is the fact that despite its charming looks the building had endured the worst nature could throw at it and it still stood proud. That kind of strength demanded respect and given the lack of availability not only in the building itself but the whole neighbourhood the rest of New York seemed to agree.

Except when it came to apartment 5C. There was something different about this particular apartment that deemed it uninhabitable. It wasn't a physical issue, the apartment itself was pristine yet previous tenants hadn't lasted more than a couple of months, the record being six. It had taken Root a considerable amount of persuasive talking and even more hacking to figure out the reason behind the vacancy.

Apparently it was haunted.

She had scoffed at the mere idea. There were no such thing as ghosts, people were simply code and given the right situation their behaviour could be dictated by suggestion. One person believes a place is haunted, the next move in with a preconceived notion, already having been exposed to the idea and every little thing is somehow caused by a spirit and eventually they frightened themselves into moving out and the cycle repeated. Bad for them but good for Root. Freelance computer work and the occasional hacking job paid ok but work came sporadically and she was lucky the apartment was reduced.

If there really was a ghost she guessed she owed it a thank-you.

The day she moved in it was unusually hot but thankfully she didn't have a whole lot and the previous tenants had left so quickly the apartment came fully furnished. The first time she saw it she hadn't cared for it much, it definitely wasn't what she would have picked out but she supposed it would grow on her and in the mean time she could slowly start swapping things out when she could afford to. Unlike Texas and the places she had visited over the years she planned to stick around here. There was something about the city that felt more like home than Bishop ever had.

Once everything was unpacked and her equipment was set up she decided grocery shopping was not only necessary but mandatory. She had a habit of forgetting to eat when she got involved in a project or a particularly tricky string of code so she figured having food in the fridge would at least be helpful.

When she got back, bags balanced awkwardly in hand she was surprised to find the door unlocked. She was sure she had locked it, in fact she remembered the lock being somewhat stubborn. She shrugged, pushing it open with her foot as she carried the bags in, making a mental note to get the locks checked. It wasn't until she put the bags down and began unpacking she noticed something off about the room. It took her a moment to place the source but eventually she realised there was a plate sitting on the middle of the kitchen table. It definitely hadn't been there before and it was one of the ones she had yet to unpack.

It set her nerves on edge and she paused, listening carefully for any signs of an intruder but it was silent, save for the air she could hear cycling around the apartment and keeping the heat away. Just to be safe she searched the place, the gun she usually kept hidden in hand but nothing else was disturbed. It was odd that an intruder would move a plate so she figured she must have left it out and forgotten about it. Her stomach chose that moment to rumble reminding her that it was dinner time and she forgot about the plate in favour of food and a much earned rest.

Root fell asleep watching a movie and awoke to a scratching sound. She yawned, listening for a moment but the sound was faint and she ignored it, stretching as she sat up. The couch was far too small for her to comfortably sleep on and as she got ready for bed she decided one of the first things she would do was buy a new one. It wasn't until she was settled in bed and drifting off to sleep the sound started again, faint at first but it grew louder.

She sat up, switching on the bedside lamp, blinking rapidly as it filled the room. Seconds later the globe dimmed, slowly flickering out once again bathing the room in darkness. The noise grew louder and Root could have sworn it sounded like something was scratching the bedroom door. She rolled her eyes, realising the lack of sleep she had gotten lately was starting to effect her she rolled over, pulling the blanket over her. It was cold in the room, significantly colder than before and she idly wondered if the air conditioning was set too low. The sound stopped and she sighed but tensed when moments later the bedroom door creaked open.

She listened carefully but the only sound in the apartment was her breathing. That's when she realised the air was no longer circling but it was freezing. There was a disturbance in the air next to her ear, a cold breeze and she shivered. Something brushed her cheek, tickling slightly.

 _"Intruder."_ It was barely a whisper but she bolted upright, frantically searching for the cold metal of her gun which she had slipped under her pillow. Just as her hand bumped it the light flicked back on, bathing the room in a soft yellow glow. It was empty and she took a deep breath, feeling her heart beating frantically. The air clicked back on, startling her before she let herself relax.

She decided she definitely needed more sleep but it was a while before she drifted off, a woman's voice haunting her dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- Intruder

Root woke up mid morning and she was glad that she could set her own hours. She stretched lazily before going through her regular morning routine, pleased that the bathroom was much bigger than the one in her last apartment. As she was going back into her bedroom to get dressed she noticed marks on the back of the bedroom door. They definitely hadn't been there before and they looked a lot like scratch marks, a series of uneven lines that ran over the middle section of the door.

She paused as she studied them, mildly annoyed because they sort of ruined the door. She ran her fingers over them lightly, tracing the marks. She soon discovered there were five on each side, marks overlapping and running over each other.

Like someone had dragged their nails repeatedly over the door.

She thought back to the night before, wondering if there had in fact been someone in the apartment trying to mess with her. It was definitely possible, after all the other tenants had all been scared off perhaps someone was trying to do the same to her. Let themshe thought smirking. She was not one to be scared off so easily.

Nothing much happened for the rest of the day and Root was pleased with the amount of work she was able to complete. She had just about finished the program she had been asked to create by her latest client and it was some of her best work yet. Of course she had added in a little something extra, her own little unique string of code that was an insurance policy of sorts.

She didn't trust easily and this was no exception.

It had grown dark outside by the time she turned her laptop off and stretched, her back cracking in protest from being bent over the computer for so long. She ignored it, making her way to the kitchen for a late dinner. She stopped in her tracks.

The plate was once again in the exact same spot on the table and this time she was sure she hadn't put it there. She listened carefully but yet again the only sound was the air conditioning not that she had been expecting anything else. She ignored the plate, deciding if someone wanted it there so be it. She was not going to be scared by some pretend ghost who left plates lying around.

Though Root had been forced to fend for herself from a young age learning to cook had not been a priority and she did ok but that only got her so far, which is why the pasta ended up seriously overcooked and the sauce was burned on the bottom on the saucepan. She should have just stuck with beans on toast but she wanted to do something special for her first night in her new home (she didn't count the last one since she spent most of the time unpacking.) She was starting to regret her decision.

In her rush she almost didn't notice that the plate on the table had disappeared. "Seriously?" she mumbled. This is what had scared people away, moving plates and a couple of scratches? She rolled her eyes, mostly at herself for buying into it. Something in her peripheral vision caught her eye and she looked up, shocked to find the plate on the ceiling, just sitting there exactly like it had on the table.

"What the hell?" she said and the plate fell, shattering against the table startling her causing her to drop the ruined saucepan that was in her hand.

"Guess you didn't use enough glue" she said somewhat teasingly. There was a crash from somewhere in the vicinity of her bedroom upstairs. She listened but she couldn't hear any footsteps. Unfortunately her gun was up there so she grabbed her largest knife from the kitchen, slowly making her way upstairs. As soon as she got to the top of the staircase she shivered. It was a lot colder than the downstairs and she made a mental note to get that checked out along with the lock and perhaps the door as well.

She cautiously made her way to the bedroom door, which was slightly ajar. She slowly nudged it open, a cold breeze hitting her from the inside. She reached for the light switch, flicking it but nothing happened. She wondered if it was an electrical problem but pushed the thought aside, focusing on the more pressing matter. She could go back downstairs but she wasn't sure she even had a flashlight plus that would only make it easier for whoever was up here to spot her but that also meant she had no way to find them.

Making a split second decision she pulled her phone out of her pocket, hitting the home button so the screen lit up. It didn't offer a whole lot of light but there was enough for her to see clearly in front of her and make out the shapes in the rest of the room. As best as she could tell it was empty and she didn't see anything out of place. She checked the bedside lamp but it wouldn't turn on and it was the only thing she could think of that could be knocked over and make that kind of noise. Perhaps someone had put it back into place. Whoever was doing this was seriously starting to get on her nerves.

She fetched her gun from under her pillow but kept the knife, figuring the person had it coming. Serves them right for trying to scare her out of her own apartment plus she felt slightly better now that she had some protection. She kept the gun out in front of her, tucking the knife snugly against her back as she used the light from her phone to check under the bed and in the closet but there was nothing out of place. The bathroom was close so she decided to check there next. Unlike the bedroom door the bathroom one was shut and she tried to remember if she had shut it last time she'd been in there but she hadn't been paying attention.

As quietly as she could she turned the knob but the door wouldn't budge. She put a little weight against it but it stuck in the doorframe. She backed away, pointing the gun at the door. Whoever was on the other side was probably leaning against it but as soon as her back hit the wall it creaked open and the light from the city coming in through the window was enough, even without the added push of her phone to see no-one was in there.

"What the hell's wrong with me?" she muttered, lowering the gun. The door slowly closed again and hesitantly she pushed on it but it refused to budge. "Doors, plates and air conditioning huh?" she waited but nothing happened and she shook her head, making her way downstairs to make something a little more edible. She was half way down when she paused, hearing the sound of what she was starting to recognise as the bedroom door creaking. She wondered if the whole problem could be solved with a simple bit of oil. She contemplated ignoring it but since she already had the gun she decided there was no harm in checking, just in case she had missed something.

The door was closed and she knew she hadn't closed it but it gave easily when she turned the knob. She nearly jumped out of her skin when, as soon as she stepped into the room the lights and air conditioning came back on.

The word 'intruder' was carved messily on the wall above her bed in deep gouges and she stared wide-eyed.

The time on the clock read a minute past midnight.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Communication

Root slept on the couch that night but refused to put any real though into why. She was slightly jumpy all throughout the day but by mid-afternoon the program was complete and she dropped the USB drive that contained it into the mail, deciding to walk around the city for a while. It was dark outside by the time she got back, pizza box in hand.

One of the things she loved about New York was definitely the pizza. She half expected smashed plates or words carved into the wall when she opened the door but everything was as she left it and she sighed in contentment, spending the next hour enjoying her pizza and the half decent line-up of TV shows that was on.

She couldn't put her finger on what woke her up later that night but the TV was off and she was draped awkwardly across the couch. Unfortunately the job hadn't paid well enough to buy a new one but she had a lead on a new one that she hoped would. She was just about to throw the empty pizza box away when she noticed a glass marble sitting in the middle of the table, where the plate had mysteriously appeared the previous nights. It was a clear red colour and as she looked at it the little round object slowly rolled off the table, making no sound as it hit the ground and rolled towards her, coming to rest against her foot. Curiously she set the box aside, leaning down to pick it up but it rolled out of reach.

"Trying to tell me something?" she asked, not expecting any kind of answer but the marble rolled to the base of the staircase.

"You could just ask or better yet quit trying to scare me out of my own apartment" she said loudly. She had never believed in anything remotely supernatural-computers and code (or more specifically hacking) were more her thing but as the marble began to roll up the stairs it sent a shiver down her spine. It was one hell of a magic trick watching the little round ball of red make its way up with all the ease of someone rolling it. She knew she shouldn't follow but it stopped at the top, almost like it was waiting for her and curiosity won out.

She cautiously made her way up, feeling it grow increasingly colder as she reached the top. The marble began to roll again and she followed it to the bedroom door, which slowly swung open as the light turned on and the marble rolled through, stopping in the middle of the room. Root stayed put in the doorway and after a minute the marble rolled in a small circle.

"Fine" she mumbled, stepping into the room. It was like walking into an air conditioned mall on a hot day, the blast of cold air hitting her full force. She took two full strides, reaching down to pick up the marble but it darted out of reach, rolling under the bed.

"Oh no" she said. This was already going way too far and she was giving whoever was responsible exactly what they wanted. The marble rolled to the edge of the bed peaking out and she sighed, her breath fanning out in front of her, visible in the cold. She stayed where she was, slowly lowering herself to the floor. There was nothing under the bed save for the marble, which rolled further under, resting against the wall. The very same wall that had been defiled the night before which did not inspire confidence.

She slowly slid closer but the marble stayed still and eventually she slid under, crawling awkwardly as the bed dug uncomfortably into her back. She reached out, picking up the small glass ball. There was nothing unique about it, no electronics or strings attached but it was hard to make out with the lack of light under the bed. She was just about to crawl out to get a better look when she felt a change in the texture of the floor. She traced it, making a perfect line and then a rectangle. Having grown familiar with unique hiding places she recognised the sign of an alcove under the floor. It took her a few minutes to find the ridge that allowed the false bit of floor to lift out and it gave a creak of protest as she lifted it.

Tucked snugly inside was a wooden box. She pulled it out, putting the cover back into place before crawling out, placing it along with the marble on the bed. The room was no longer cold and the marble didn't move. She studied that first, turning it over in her hand and looking at it from all angles, even holding it up to the light but she couldn't find anything unique about it. Eventually she set it aside in favour of the box.

It was a richly coloured dark mahogany wood, very expensive looking with plain yet elegant detailing on the sides. On the top was a neatly carved set of letters, 'SS' and she traced them lightly. There was a space for a padlock on the outside of the box and marks where one must have been at some point but it was no longer there and the box opened easily.

Inside there was an old key and a bullet, a large one at that neatly laid out. She picked up each item one by one, studying them as she had the marble but she couldn't find the significance of them. In the end she gave up, placing each item back carefully along with the marble, closing the box before placing it on the nightstand.

The air slowly grew colder and the light faded out, darkness creeping in. There was a noise in the bathroom and Root could hear water running. She didn't particularly feel like going in there but she had to shut off the water so she made her way down the hallway, feeling the cold increase the closer she got.

When she got to the door she could see the bath running, almost completely full. A small amount of streetlight leaked in but for the most part the room was dark and as she flipped the light switch, not expecting it to turn on it gave a faint hum but remained off. The water was close to overflowing and she sighed, pulling her sleeve up as she slowly lowered her hand into the freezing cold water. Every horror movie she had watched said this was a bad idea but since ghosts didn't exist she figured it didn't matter.

Something brushed against her hand and she barely had time to scream before she was pulled in.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Watching

When Root wakes up it takes her a minute to remember what happened and even longer to figure out that she's still in the bathtub. She was freezing and the air against her wet skin felt like ice. Her limbs felt heavy and refused to co-operate as she tried to move. The room was unusually dark, the noise and light from the city completely absent. Her thoughts were sluggish and she wondered if she hit her head but couldn't find the strength to move and check. She sensed rather than heard someone in the room and she tried to open her mouth but nothing would come out, her throat constricting around the words.

 _"Intruder."_ It was a woman's voice but it was faint, like it was muffled or coming through a speaker. There was almost something melancholy about it despite the threatening and slightly sinister tone. Something shifted towards her right but she couldn't make out the shapes in the darkness though they appeared to be shifting.

It had been a while since Root had felt truly afraid but right now, regardless if this was real or simply a hoax the fear she felt was most definitely real.

 _"I will end you"_ A hand closed around her throat, colder than anything she'd ever felt before and as she struggle for air, the darkness closing in and threatening to take her under she's able to make out the blurry shapes of dark hair and a devastatingly beautiful face.

The next time Root wakes she's still in the bathtub but it's light outside and she scrambles up, catching her foot on the edge in her rush to get out. She stays sprawled on the floor a moment, breathing deeply as she gains her bearings. She slowly scans the room but there's nothing out of place and she gingerly runs a hand over the back of her head checking for lumps but it's not even tender.

"Was I drugged?" she mumbled aloud, her voice scratchy and as she stands she catches her reflection in the mirror, the pale skin of her throat marred by dark bruises. She gently runs her fingers over them, prodding.

There was no doubt they were real.

She makes her way slowly back to her bedroom and she's surprised to find the wooden box exactly where she left it. She perches delicately on the edge of the bed, running a hand over the carvings wondering what they meant.

She spent the majority of the morning going over everything that happened and she came to the conclusion that, if this was a hack she would need more information and since technology was sort of her area of expertise she decided surveillance was necessary and since she already had the required equipment from a previous (slightly illegal) job it was do-able.

It took most of the afternoon to set up but once it was up and running she felt a lot better. She left it to run as a test while she went out to get dinner and she checked it when she returned, finding nothing unusual. There was also no plates or red marbles sitting anywhere so she took that as a good sign. The last thing she did was check the camera and laptop batteries were fully charged in case the power started to fail again.

It was close to eleven before Root went to bed that night and it took her nearly an hour to get to sleep. She was too restless, jumping at every little sound but eventually she drifted off. She woke up, not entirely sure how long she slept for but it was cold and the bedroom door was creaking open. She held her breath, feeling for the cold metal of her gun and clutching it tightly, muscles tense and ready to move.

Nothing happened for a minute or two and she tried to relax but something still felt off. She slowly sat up, automatically reaching for the lamp but it refused to turn on. The room was dark and her eyes had adjusted somewhat but it was still hard to see with the lack of light. She wished she had thought to get a flashlight while she was out but she had been preoccupied going over the specs of the surveillance. At least the cameras were equipped for filming at night and she would be able to see everything in the morning.

That's presuming no-one tried to strangle her again.

She sat for another minute before deciding she'd had enough and she called out "Yeah, I'm an intruder in my own apartment. You coming out anytime soon?" Perhaps antagonization was not the best form of communication but she supposed it would get the job done. There was a crash from the vicinity of the bathroom and she tensed, waiting. The scratching sound started, sounding like someone was running their nails over the wall, getting closer to the bedroom until it was right outside the door but the doorway remained empty.

"Hello?" she called out, a lot less confident than before. The room was eerily silent and getting colder by the minute. The sound continued, this time directly under the bed and she fought her natural instinct to flee. A small part of her was intrigued but as the sounds stopped and the end of the bed dipped slightly she wasn't sure how long her nerves would hold out.

"Hi" she whispered quietly, her voice sounding like a gunshot in the silence. There was a pause and then a voice, right by her ear asked " _who are you?"_

She jumped, pointing the gun with shaking hands but there was nothing next to her. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.

"I'm Root" she replied hesitantly, part of her wondering if she was losing her mind. She swallowed, her voice coming out steadier as she asked "What's your name?" There was no reply but the box on the nightstand shook slightly.

"SS?" She asked. Once again there was no reply.

"Guess you don't like me much huh?" The air, along with the bedside lamp flickered back on, illuminating the room causing her to blink owlishly. She waited for a good half hour, even calling out a few more questions but nothing else happened.

When she checked the surveillance the next morning she was baffled to find nothing out of the ordinary, it just looked like she had woken up and started talking to herself. It wasn't until she zoomed in closer she made out the slight dip she had felt on the bed as well as the door swinging open and the camera in the hall had caught the scratches slowly appearing along the wall and she had checked under the bed, finding more marks right where the box had been hidden.

None of it proved anything.

She played it back as she ate breakfast, eyes scanning every inch and she paused the footage, toast half way to her mouth. It was right before the lights came back on and at first it just looked like a smudge but when she zoomed in and played it back frame by frame there were three where she could make out the image of a figure standing in the corner, there in one blink gone in the next.

She cleaned it up, running a series of filters over the image until it became clearer. It was still dark and out of focus but she could clearly identify a woman, dressed in what appeared to be darkly coloured hoodie and jeans. The angle was too off to show her clearly but it was enough that Root was reasonably convinced the figure could definitely belong to what she remembered of the one who strangled her the other night.

She was real. She was dangerous.

She was beautiful.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- Bullet

Root spent the entire day feeling jittery and uneasy, her thoughts going back and forth between whether this was real or simply a prank but there was no mistaking the evidence. She was sure of one thing though: there was more going on here than meets the eye. The question was: what to do about it? She'd done some research but all that led to was spells and Ouija boards-neither of which seemed like viable options.

It was starting to get late and as far as she could tell the activity, real or not began around midnight. She wasn't entirely convinced the woman was a ghost (she still didn't believe in them after all) but there was no denying the fact that she was real so Root decided to start there.

She grabbed the wooden box off her nightstand and carefully took out each item and set them out along the foot of her bed figuring since this was the main source of activity and the items were of significance it would draw the woman to her and, more importantly give her a reason to not attack again. Next she reset the surveillance system since it worked pretty well last time.

She had just pressed record on the second to last camera when the lights flickered out, bathing the room in darkness. She sighed, mentally preparing herself for the unexpected as she felt along the hallway wall to guide herself to her bedroom while her eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness. A familiar chill ran down her spine and as she was trying to place the source a hand, colder than ice clamped down on her shoulder, fingers digging into her flesh. She jumped, her heart beating frantically as she whirled around. There was nothing there and she squinted, trying to make out shapes in the darkness as she rubbed the sore spot on her shoulder. Something tickled the back of her neck and she shivered.

"Hello?" She said, her voice catching in her throat. She ran through computer codes in her head, the familiar strings comforting allowing her to gain control of her fear.

"As fun as this is I would really like it if you stopped trying to kill me." She was pleased her voice came out steady, holding its familiar flirty edge that she often used to get what she wanted from people.

 _"Oh really?"_ The voice was right next to her ear and she turned around slowly. Once again there was nothing there.

"Are you going to come out?" she asked, placing her back to the wall now that her eyes had finally adjusted. She half expected to be strangled again but the only reaction she got was a faint chuckle.

 _"Why do you want to see me hmmm, perky psycho?"_ Once again the voice was right by her ear and the shiver it sent through her wasn't entirely unpleasant.

"Because you're nice to look at" she replied teasingly though it came out in a husky whisper. She swallowed thickly and an icy fingertip traced the movement down her throat.

 _"You're not so bad yourself."_ The air around her got colder and she shivered. _"It's almost a shame really."_ Before Root could ask why the cold began to envelope her, seeping through her skin into her bones. She tried to cry out but all that came out was a strangled gasp. The colder she got the harder it was to move and though she struggled there was nothing solid to fight against, only the cold holding her in place. Her vision grew blurry, her muscles growing weak as she slowly lost feeling in her limbs. She was barely able to make out the shape of a face materializing in front of her and for a moment she caught sight of deep brown eyes and she stopped moving. The cold paused and somewhere in the back of her mind she realised the cold and the woman were somehow linked but the thought was sluggish and she couldn't hold onto it. The cold slowly began to dissipate and gradually she was able to gain control over her body again. She was shivering and she felt absolutely exhausted, like all her energy had drained away.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice coming out shaky. The woman was watching her with an unreadable expression and as Root looked closer she realised she looked almost transparent and faded around the edges, kind of like an old photograph. She seemed to come in and out of focus, like she was untethered and it was almost enough to make Root believe.

"Do you know you're dead?" she asked hesitantly. The woman looked confused for a moment, her brow furrowing as if she was trying to remember something.

 _"I think so"_ she replied, fading out before re-appearing closer to Root. The cold seemed to be emitting from her but it was subtle, tendrils of it reaching out to brush against her skin. It was a strange sensation but not wholly unpleasant.

"What's your name?" she asked. The woman was shorter than her and she tilted her head up as Root spoke.

 _"Sameen Shaw."_

"SS" something crossed her face as Root said it and she pointed in the general direction of her room.

"The box." Shaw nodded and Root smiled, pleased they were finally getting somewhere.

"You wanted me to find it?" she prompted. Shaw faded out, reappearing in her bedroom doorway and Root nodded before following her. The items were still laid out as she had left them and Shaw studied each one, crouching down but she never touched them and Root wondered if she couldn't.

"What's the key for?" she asked.

 _"The gun locker, it's not important but the bullet is"_ there's something in the way she says it that Root can't quite put her finger on.

"Why?" she asked, hesitantly crouching down next to her. She's trying not to make any sudden moves, least she startle her and end up being strangled or frozen to death again.

 _"It killed me."_ she says it nonchalantly and Root's eyes widen in surprise, a small gasp escaping.

"But how..." she trailed off, unsure if she was asking how she died or how the bullet ended up in a wooden box looking like it had never even been fired.

 _"I don't know how but I know why."_ she smirks slightly and there's a gleam in her eyes. It's the most alive she's looked so far and it makes Root wonder what she was like before.

 _"So I can kill whoever killed me."_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6- Information

Root spends a good portion of the next day researching Shaw and by the end of it she's learnt two things: Shaw was just as much a ghost in life as she is in death and the only thing Root can find is an article about a car crash wherein a man died but she's not even sure if the child mentioned is in fact her though it is possible. The lack of information leaves Root with a slight headache and a hangover of annoyance. She prided herself of being able to find information despite any obstacles that may present themselves over the course of a job, that's what makes her so good at what she does but Shaw is proving to be just as stubborn when she was alive as she is now. Root is still hesitant to call her a ghost but the evidence is overwhelming and if she isn't a ghost then what the hell is she?

Root sighed, rubbing her temples. This was far too complicated, like a bad code but worse because she can't simply re-write it. She still had to get in contact with her new client and, even worse she had to find a way to talk to Shaw without the woman, ghost whatever she was trying to kill her again. Part of her was looking forward to it but another part was getting really sick of this whole thing.

Complicated didn't even begin to describe it.

After a simple dinner of beans on toast Root checks the surveillance from last night, finding pretty much exactly what she expected to find. She debates setting it up again but decides the few grainy images she got aren't worth it.

It's later than she realises and she's just finished emailing her latest client when the lights flicker out.

"Shit." she mumbles, pausing as she listens carefully. She had gotten so wrapped up in her work she forgot to research a way to prevent Shaw from hurting her again.

"Sweetie is that you?" She calls. There's no reply except the chill that tickles the back of her neck and she swallows nervously, bracing herself for another attack.

 _"Relax"_ a familiar voice whispers in her ear and slowly she does, hoping it means Shaw has finished trying to kill her.

"Hey" she says, her voice slightly more high-pitched than usual. There's a faint chuckle as Shaw materializes in the chair across from her and the lights come back on much dimmer than usual. They shine right through Shaw like the light doesn't realise she's there and though Root finds it somewhat disconcerting it's also fascinating plus there's the added bonus of sitting across from Shaw without the danger her presence usually presents.

Shaw regards her for a moment and her gaze is so piecing Root forgets for a moment she's dead. She's just so real, she shouldn't exist but it's like she's so stubborn even death couldn't stop her.

 _"Hello Perky Psycho"_ she replies and Root resists the urge to point out Shaw's tried to kill her twice already so technically that makes her the psycho.

"So uh, how's the weather where you're at?" She asks, earning her another chuckle.

 _"Cold"_ Shaw replies flatly. _"How about we skip the pleasantries and get right to it?"_ Root swallows nervously.

"Is this the part where you try to murder me again?"

 _"Since you're not the one who killed me no, you are of better use alive."_ Root half expects her to say for now at the end but she doesn't and though Root wants to ask what the whole trying to kill her thing was about the last thing she wants to do is encourage her.

"So what do you need me to do?" she asks and Shaw arcs an eyebrow. _"You're willing to help me?"_

Root smirks mischievously. "Well you're much better looking than pretty much all of my clients plus as much as I like you I would really like to get a good night's sleep without a homicidal ghost trying to kill me in my own apartment."

 _"Your apartment?"_ Root can feel the burning glare she receives and she wonders if it's a ghost thing or a Shaw thing, maybe a bit of both.

"Well you are dead" Root points out and Shaw's eyes narrow.

 _"But I still live here"_ she counters.

"True I guess though live might not be the right word, haunt maybe but never the less you are still here so I guess that makes us roommates or at the very least I'm not an intruder."

 _"I didn't mean you, it was a message."_ Shaw replies shrugging.

"I thought that might be the case but why couldn't you have just told me that?" Root asks, giving her a pointed look though she doubts it would have any effect on Shaw.

 _"Because you are notoriously hard to get rid of, I had to get creative."_

"It's all part of my charm." Shaw rolls her eyes and something about the gesture seems so natural Root wonders if it was something she did a lot in life. Quite possibly if her disposition is any indication.

"What is it you want from me?" Root asks and as Shaw's gaze pierces right through her she wonders if she's getting in over her head. Then again she's taking to a ghost so she's probably way past that point.

 _"Information. There's an organisation called Samaritan who I was tasked to investigate. Before I died Control warned me something big was coming but somehow Samaritan found me before I could find out what. I need to know what it is and if there's still time to stop it."_ Root nods and Shaw fades out, leaving her feeling strangely empty.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7- Surprise

Information on Samaritan turns out to be just as hard to come by as information on Shaw and after an hour of searching it's clear to Root she's going to have to do a lot more than a few simple hacks. She starts by contacting John Reese, a trusted source of hers whom she sometimes refers to as a friend if the mood strikes her. While she waits for a reply she does a little research on Control, again coming up with nothing. Shaw definitely doesn't make anything easy.

John gets back to her around lunch time and it turns out they're both after the same organisation. She makes plans for him and his boss Harold Finch to come over in the afternoon and share information (though she leaves out the part about her client being a ghost.) While she's waiting she cleans up the apartment a bit, nearly jumping out of her skin when Shaw materializes out of no-where on the couch.

 _"How's it going?"_ Shaw asks casually, the daylight shining through her making her appear even more transparent than usual.

"I...how?' is all Root can manage in reply and Shaw smirks.

 _"I appear at night because it's easier to scare people out that way plus it's easier but since you're helping me it doesn't matter"_ she explains and Root nods. If there's one thing she's learnt about Shaw it's that you can never expect anything when it comes to her.

"You know it would help if you told me a bit more. Oh and I have a couple of sources coming soon and it would help if you perhaps didn't appear during that time." Shaw gives her a sour look, which she ignores.

 _"Michael Cole."_ She fades out before Root can ask her who he is and she sighs in annoyance. There's a knock on the door, right on time which really shouldn't surprise her because Finch is always punctual. He greets her warmly as she opens it and John nods in greeting. They go through pleasantries before settling at the table, laptops in hand.

"Before we begin you need to know that what you're getting into Ms Groves, it's dangerous to say the least" Finch says. His warning doesn't deter her, after all she's living with a ghost who's already tried to kill her twice but she nods anyway and he studies her for a moment like he would a difficult puzzle, a look she's very familiar with but he lets it go.

"Very well. How much do you know about a program called Northern Lights?"

By the time Finch is done explaining Root knows more about the government than she ever wanted to. According to Finch there's an operation called Northern Lights run by someone called Control (whose identity remains unknown) and they are running a secret operation illegally targeting terrorists through the use of a secret surveillance network. He was vague on network details but Root has a pretty good idea what he means. In addition to Northern Lights there is a competing network called Samaritan, which Finch says is a similar network but much more powerful and dangerous. He and John had been piggybacking off northern Lights, which Root suspects Finch created but she keeps that little piece of information to herself. Samaritan puts all that in jeopardy and intelligence says it's almost up and running.

"So you see Miss Groves, the situation is urgent and if we fail to stop it the consequences could be catastrophic." It's the most scared she's ever seen him and it sets her nerves on edge. Luckily she has something he doesn't and she's trying to think of a way to share Shaw's information without revealing the source when she catches sight of movement out of the corner of her eye and before she can say anything Shaw materialises next to Finch.

" _I know you, you're the one Control was looking for."_ All the colour drains from Harold's face and in a blink John pulls his gun though it's of little use and he must realise it because he looks pretty uncertain and maybe a little pale too.

" _Relax boys, if I was going to kill you you'd be dead already_." She rolls her eyes and Root gives her a look which she either doesn't see or ignores. Harold and John remain wide eyed and eventually Shaw gets sick of it, disappearing and reappearing next to Root. She can feel a slight chill emanating from her but nothing like before.

"I thought I told you to stay hidden."

" _You did"_ Shaw replies, smirking.

"Then why are you here?"

 _"Because it's entertaining plus you're missing a few names."_ She rattles them off, including that of Control and Finch breaks out of his stunned silence, hurriedly scribbling them down. John keeps his gun out but lowers it to the table.

"Oh my." Finch says once she's done and Root isn't sure if he's referring to the names or to Shaw, who for her part remains passive throughout the entire exchange.

"What's going on here Root?" John asks, looking for her to Shaw and back again.

"It's complicated" she replies. She didn't think it was possible to explain Shaw without sounding like she's losing her mind so instead she shrugs, as if having a ghost next to her is no big deal. Shaw sizes John up as he studies her and Root wonders if they are going to attack one another but it's more like one predator sizing another up and something akin to respect passes between the two. Finch still looks slightly frightened and Root gives him a reassuring smile though it has little effect.

"Harold this is Shaw, she uh was here when I moved in." It's the best explanation she can come up with.

"I...well...how is she so transparent?" He stutters. Root gives Shaw a sideways look before she can roll her eyes, receiving a glare in reply which she chooses to ignore.

"She's dead" Root replies calmly and she watches as her words sink in, his eyes growing wide and she half expects him to faint but he doesn't though he looks incredibly pale.

"Ghosts don't exist." John says. They all look at Shaw who raises an eyebrow. Since it's grown darker there isn't as much light and it's harder to see through her but she still looks faded, the light from the computer screens shining through her arm.

 _"And yet here I am."_ She replies shrugging.

"Oh my" Finch says again.

"Oh my indeed " John replies and Shaw rolls her eyes.

" _Well this has been fun but now I know Samaritan are out there I'm going to leave you nerds to it."_ She fades out, leaving both Reese and Finch blinking in surprise.

"She does that a lot."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I'm sorry this has taken me so long to update but POI broke my heart and it's taken me a while to get over it. Also please be aware of the rating change.**

Chapter 8- Closer

Somehow Root's apartment turns into a workstation and it's the most computer equipment she's seen for a while. All of them lose track of time and pretty soon it grows dark. Shaw doesn't reappear, not that any of them would have noticed if she did, they were too engrossed in their work. Root did briefly wonder where Shaw had gone. All in all it was proving to be very productive, having both Root and Harold hacking and John collecting information seems to have done the trick but, unfortunately, Samaritan remained elusive. They did however tack down some information on some of its key players, whose names Shaw had given them and they were proving easier to find.

By the end they have a fairly clear picture of Samaritan and its resources, which stretched further than any of them realised. They still didn't know exactly when it was going online, but it was a start and a pretty decent one at that.

"Now that we know who Samaritan are, we need to figure out how to stop them" Finch says when they decide to take a break. Root nods in agreement from the kitchen as John stands up to stretch his legs. Root feels a chill at her back, slowly tracing her spine causing her to shiver.

"Hey Sweetie" she says, guessing by the surprised looks on Reese and Finch's faces Shaw has materialized behind her.

"Did you miss me?"

 _"No"_ comes the reply, directly into her ear. _"Have you found them yet?"_ She appears next to Finch, causing him to jump and back away slightly. John nods at Shaw in greeting, like it's completely normal for her to be there.

"Perhaps we should go home and get some rest?" Finch suggests.

 _"Am I making you uncomfortable?"_ Shaw asks, appearing closer to him again, a slight smirk at the corners of her lips. She's probably taunting him for her own amusement, given the fact she's tried to strangle Root she isn't that surprised. Still, she should probably do something about that.

"Some rest would do us all some good" John replies and Shaw frowns at him, annoyed he took her entertainment away. She fades out and Root feels a chill at her side. The kitchen light shines through Shaw but she's easier to see at night, perhaps something to do with lighting? Root wonders.

"Is there something I can help you with Sweetie?" she asks.

 _"Later"_ Shaw whispers, then both the chill and her fade away leaving Root to wonder what she means.

Reese and Finch leave shortly after to get some rest but they leave their things, ready for another day of searching tomorrow. They're still waiting for their police contact, Detective Fusco to get back to them, and another contact of theirs, Detective Carter is out doing some recon in-between her shifts. Root expects Shaw to appear once they leave but she remains absent and the hacker decides that a long, hot shower is in order before bed.

She's halfway through her shower, feeling her muscles relax in the warmth when the air feels slightly chilly and the water temperature goes down a few degrees. She sighs in irritation and turns the hot tap on more but the chill remains. Suddenly the lights flicker and fade, leaving only the softest of glows in the room.

"Shaw?" She asks. It's silent for a few moments before she feels a chill run down her back, like Shaw's just run her fingers over her skin. She shivers but doesn't pull away.

 _"Hey"_ Shaw says softly in her ear as her hands travel to grip Root's hips from behind. They're cold, but not nearly as cold as she usually is and the hot water keeps some of the chill away.

"So is this what you meant by later?" Root asks, leaning back into her touch.

 _"Mmmm, It's been so long, so many people have come and gone but none I've actually wanted."_ An entirely different type of shudder runs through her, the way Shaw says wanted is so possessive and it's turning Root on.

 _"Until now."_ She presses flush against Root, more solid than she's ever felt her before. She can feel every curve and line of her body, naked and still slightly cold, which feels wonderful against Root's flushed skin. A small gasp escapes her and she feels Shaw's grip tighten in response. Slowly Root slides her hands down to meet Shaw's, unsure if she will even be able to touch her. She's surprised to find she can. Her hands are definitely cold and they feel different, like something's missing but she can still feel each of her fingers under her own as she slowly traces them before placing her hands on top of Shaw's. They are smaller than her own, but stronger and Root licks her lips, wondering what they would feel like elsewhere.

"Don't stop" She whispers, pressing back against Shaw as she guides her hands lower. She obeys, her hands sliding down her thighs and Root shudders, feeling Shaw's lips against her shoulder in response. She tries to turn but Shaw's grip tightens, refusing to let her.

"Please?" She asks and Shaw sighs, pulling away and allowing her to turn and suddenly Root can understand why. The water, much like light goes straight through Shaw, as if she's not really there. It's disconcerting, but Root is quickly distracted by the fact that Shaw's naked and she takes a minute to soak in all the delicious curves and toned muscles, covered in scars that make up her gorgeous body.

"Sameen" she says softly, meeting her eyes. Root smirks slowly, realising for the first time just how much she wants this, has wanted it since she caught her first real glimpse of the woman haunting her. She closes the gap, pressing their lips together in a searing kiss. It's a little like fire and ice, and the more they kiss, the closer Root pulls her, the more alive Shaw seems to come and the more real she feels against Root's body. She pushes Shaw against the wall, grabbing her hands and placing them above her head, holding them in place as she lets her other hand drift lower, slowly exploring.

Shaw moans, biting Root's lip and she lets her hand drift to Shaw's breast, starting off gentle. The small but delicious sounds coming from her quickly encourage Root and she digs her fingers in, dipping down to sooth the pain with her lips. She lets go of Shaw's hands so she can slide her hands lower to cup her ass, feeling Shaw's hands roughly gripping her hair.

 _"More"_ Shaw says, her hands demanding as they grip Root, fingers digging in hard enough to leave marks. Root smirks, making a trail of kisses and bites down her toned abs towards where Shaw wants her the most.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Sorry this has taken so long. Between Shoot and constant medical issues that have only just now finally been diagnosed it's been a difficult time for me. Thank-you again for all your patience and bear with me, I will finish this story even if it takes me a while!**

Chapter 9- Energy

Things don't go quite as planned the next day. Detective Carter managed to track down a key player of Samaritan, a woman called Martine who, despite being invisible to the law has committed several murders that have insured a smooth transition for Samaritan to come online. Fortunately for them Control knows exactly who she is and, after they used Shaw's name Michael Cole came forwards and now they have several more leads.

The bad news is Samaritan is, according to Cole less than a week away from coming online. Control must be pretty desperate at this point, which is probably why she's letting Cole help them. She also apparently really has it in for someone named Greer, who Cole refers to as a 'wrinkly old raisin'.

Cole's due over any moment to set up his things, and Finch and Reese are in the field with Detective's Carter and Fusco, which leaves him and Root for backup and all the tech searches. There's a knock at the door just as Root has finished getting ready (after she had an admittedly late start due to last night.) She sighs as she opens it, but she's quickly overcome with joy when she sees Cole's fancy laptop and the two of them get distracted for half an hour talking tech. They probably would have continued but Shaw pops in, almost scaring Cole to death.

"I….you….Shaw? No, your dead….you died…..but how?" He stutters and Shaw rolls her eyes. The morning light shines through her but not as much as it usually does. Root wonders if it has anything to do with last night. Had the human contact somehow made her more solid, or did it have something to do with the increasingly close danger of Samaritan going online?

 _"_ _I am dead. I'm also still here, death isn't really all it's cracked up to be. The afterlife sucks."_ Cole chuckles and there's a slight upturn at the corners of Shaw's lips that may be a smile. It looks like they've known each other for quite a while. Root tries to imagine what it must have been like for Cole, losing her, going to her funeral, if they'd even been one.

"Well it's good to see you again. It's not the same without you." Shaw nods, disappearing and reappearing closer to him. They share a look, then Cole smiles, no longer disturbed by her presence.

"So where do we start?"

Lunch time rolls around and they've made considerable progress, helped by the fact that Cole seems to know a lot more about Samaritan than Finch does. Root finds herself getting distracted several times, her attention pre-occupied with staring at Shaw. She's pretty sure Cole noticed, if the subtle looks he keeps giving her are any indication. She ignores him, becoming so focused on her own work that she almost doesn't notice the shiver that runs down her back. Shaw's probably doing it on purpose (when has anything Shaw's done not been purposeful?) but her reaction is instinctual and she's greeted by one of Shaw's half smirks as she turns. Root feels herself grinning in response. Sometimes she wonders if Shaw saves that look just for her, then she immediately regrets it-even in her head it sounds stupid.

"Is there something I can help you with sweetie?" she asks, her voice dropping into a more seductive tone. Out of the corner of her eye she can see Cole pause as he watches their interaction curiously, something both of them seem to ignore.

 _"_ _For starters you can stop calling me sweetie"_ Root's answering grin is enough to tell Shaw that's never going to happen. " _Whatever you nerds are doing, you better do it fast."_

"Why?" Cole asks, worriedly.

 _"_ _You don't feel that?"_ Shaw replies and he shakes his head.

"Feel what?" We aren't, you know, dead like you are" he swallows and the mood in the room quickly sobers.

"It's like…a, energy?" Shaw replies, becoming blurry as she tries to assess the energy and come up with a suitable response.

"Good or bad?" Cole asks and Shaw takes a moment to consider.

 _"_ _Neither, more like….something is about to happen. It's like there's a massive amount of energy that's been contained and it's too big for it's container so it's about to break free. I sound like I'm insane, don't I?"_

"You're a ghost sweetie, I think we're past the point of sanity by now. Can you tell where the energy is coming from…wait a sec." Root sidesteps Shaw, quickly grabbing a laptop.

"What is it?" Cole asks, standing over one of her shoulders as Shaw hovers over the other. Cole takes a sneak peek and, sure enough her feet don't touch the ground. He wonder's if she's always like that, or if Root's so tall she can't see over her shoulder. He keeps that thought to himself, dead or not he bets Shaw can still do some serious damage.

"On one of the searches Harold and I conducted, something about an inconsistency at one of the power plants came up. Massive amounts of energy simply vanished. What if whatever you're feeling has nothing to do with the spirit world, whatever the hell that is, and is a reaction to whatever they're doing with that energy? Assuming of course that Samaritan are behind this. The plant isn't that far away so it adds up."

"Could be. You know, I hacked Northern Lights a while back and there was a reference in there to a project that was deemed too dangerous. I can't remember the details but it had something to do with power. I still have the files saved, give me a few minutes to find it." Root nods and Cole starts away on his own laptop.

"Let us know if anything changes sweetie. Also can I um, ask you something?" Root asks and Shaw nods.

"About last night, today you seem brighter, more real. Do you think that's just the energy, or is it…?" She can't bring herself to ask the question and Shaw must read the hesitancy, though whether or not she cares Root can't tell.

 _"_ _It was…different. That's all I know."_ Shaw fades away before Root can get a look at her expression.

Different. She would take that.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 - Observation

"What do you mean it's not there?" Root asks, frowning at Detective Carter. Cole looks perplexed and Detective Fusco looks annoyed. Joss takes a deep breath, her patience clearly thinning.

"I mean that power plant you sent me to is nothing but a vacant lot. I have other work to do besides going on wild goose chases for the man in the suit and his crazy friends."

The temperature in the room quickly drops and Shaw pops in, startling both detectives so much they instinctively draw their weapons and point them at her, earning them an eye roll.

 _"_ _I'm dead, those aren't going to do much. Was there anything under the lot?"_ Shaw asks. Carter stutters for a moment, her eyes wide before she collects herself, putting her weapon away.

"Friend of yours? You know what, I don't want to know. Why would I check under it?" she replies.

 _"_ _Sometimes, when the government don't want things found they bury them, in this case it might be literal. They must be using the fake plant to hide something, and whatever it is must require a lot of power."_

"Like a secret surveillance system?" Cole suggests and Shaw nods.

 _"_ _There must be a hidden trap door or entrance somewhere nearby. Are there any abandoned tunnels or sewer lines that run underneath the lot?"_ Shaw asks Cole. He grabs his laptop and starts a search. They look like a team and Root wonders if this is what they had been like working together when Shaw was alive.

"Got it, an unused freight elevator from an abandoned factory nearby goes down to something labeled 'underground storage.' I bet that's where they're keeping it. Field trip?" He asks. Carter and Fusco both nod.

"I'll have the big lug meet us there. You got surveillance gear?" Root asks Cole and he nods as he packs up his laptop.

"This is going to be one of those times I don't ask a lot of questions about the two of you, isn't it?" Carter asks.

"That might be best" Cole replies.

"There's no way I'm getting out of this one, is there?" Fusco asks, receiving several looks in reply. "I guess not. Can you actually leave or do you have to hang tight or fade off to wherever you go?" He asks Shaw, and if looks could kill he'd be the one dead.

"It looks empty" Reese says, watching the warehouse through his binoculars. It's dark out, and the night vision makes everything green. Cole's set up in the back of the unmarked van with some equipment he borrowed from Control (after a lot of debate.) They'd run heat sensors, but they indicated there was no-one inside, but if the operation was underneath the warehouse it wouldn't show anyway. Fusco is noisily eating a pack of chips in the seat next to Cole, much to the younger man's annoyance.

Carter and Root are in a similar van over the other side, parked further back to see if anyone gets suspicious of the first van but so far there's been no-one on the whole block, not unusual since it's mostly abandoned. Finch is back at Root's apartment, running comms. After barking furiously his dog Bear had apparently taken a liking to Shaw and, even more surprisingly Shaw seemed to like him too.

"Nothing on my end, what about you?" Reese asks over comms.

"Negative." Carter replies. "You sure this is the place?"

"Yes" Reese says. There's quite a bit of static in the air that seems to be effecting some of Cole's equipment and he gives a frustrated groan, before quickly realising it may be related.

"Do you think it's safe enough to get closer?" He asks Reese.

"They might be watching us. Why?" He lowers his binoculars, twisting in his seat so he can face Cole.

"There's quite a bit of interference. It could be there's excess power somewhere nearby and It'd be good to get a proper reading on it."

"Is it worth the risk?" Reese asks and Cole debates a moment.

"Ask Root, if she says yes too then it's a go."

"Hey Root?" Reese waits for a reply through comms. After some static her cheery voice comes through.

"What's up big lug? Something more interesting than over here?"

"Cole says there's excess power and it's interfering with his equipment. He wants to get a closer look and a reading but they might already be watching us. Is it worth the risk?"

"I've noticed that. Can you nail down the source any further?" She replies.

"Working on it, nothing so far" Cole replies. "Hey Finch, you there?" he asks.

"Yes." He replies. "There's a little static, everything OK?"

"That's the problem: there's excess power and it's interfering. We want to get closer to get a better reading but it might be too dangerous. Can you narrow the source down any more from your end?"

"I'll see what I can do. Sit tight, and please don't do anything too hasty." He doesn't see Shaw roll her eyes behind his back, giving Bear an affectionate look before she slowly disappears.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I have some more new shoot fics coming out this week for shoot week, if you want to check them out ;)**

Chapter 11- Shaw

 _Shaw doesn't remember the difference between being alive and dead anymore. She doesn't remember the sensations of life, or the feelings. She's a sociopath and death doesn't change that, so emotions are off the table anyway but something about death makes her more curious about life. Had it always felt like this? Detached? Dreamlike? Floating through an endless void, no sense of time. There's a veil between the void and what she remembers is her apartment even thought people keep invading it. She's tethered there, and if she has enough energy, enough of herself left she can pass through._

 _There's the light and the dark, and she knows it's easier to go through the veil when it's dark so she avoids the light, or she did until Root came along. At first everything had been the same, but the longer she stayed around Root, and the more of Root's energy she absorbed the clearer her head was, and the easier passing through the veil and staying in the light became (and she'd never tell Root its because of her she can appear in the light.) There was something different about Root, something she couldn't decipher._

 _She thinks of Root as she floats in the void, imagining being enveloped in her energy, her voice. Her touch, the night the two of them broke through what should have been an impenetrable barrier. She feels Root's fingers, smooth on her skin as she traces Shaw's scars one by one, the little noise she made when Shaw marked her shoulder. The way she cried out Shaw's name as she drove her over the edge and the way Root's fingers felt buried deep inside her._

 _The more she thinks about Root, the more of her energy she can feel. She can also feel her connection to her apartment pulling her back but she ignores it, focusing all her attention on Root._

 _Her smirk, her voice, the way she looks at Shaw._

 _She starts to glimpse Root in the inky black nothingness, and there's a veil there. It's much thicker than the one at her apartment and she can feel it draining her as she presses against it, so close to Root yet still so far. It's like looking through a blurry window when it's too fogged up to see clearly._

 _It reminds Shaw of the shower, Root, her touch and suddenly the barrier dissolves and she's there._

"Why is it so cold in here? Sweetie is that…Shaw!" Root scrambles up when she notices the shadowy figure in the corner, fading in and out. She's so transparent Root's afraid that if she touches her she'll disappear completely, but at the same time if she doesn't hold onto her she might fade away.

"Oh no, what have you done Sweetie?" She tentatively reaches out, her hand passing right through Shaw's arm.

 _"_ _Came…to…help"_ Shaw's voice is so soft she can barely hear it.

"What's going on?" Detective Carter asks, her eyes widening when she sees Shaw. "I thought she couldn't leave?"

"She can't, that's why you can hardly see her" Root replies, her eyes never leaving Shaw.

"She's getting better though" Carter points out, and Root realises she's right: Shaw's starting to get a little less pale.

"Do you think it's the power?" Root nods, but Shaw shakes her head.

 _"_ _There was nothing and then there was Root. I can feel the power….but I can't draw on it. I can only pull…."_ She tries to sit up but her arm goes right through the side of the van. Her gaze wavers, as if she's dizzy and she fades in and out for a moment before she rights herself. " _I can only draw from Root. I don't know why."_

"Here" Root holds her hands out to Shaw, who tries to take them. The first couple of times they pass right through, but after a minute she starts to become more solid. The more she focuses, the more amplified the effect seems to be and slowly she's able to focus enough that their hands brush.

"Well I'll be damned" Carter mumbles, watching them in awe. She's never seen anything like it- that morning she hadn't even known ghosts existed, but she's kind of glad she does now.

"How do you feel Sweetie?" Root asks, leaning against the side of the van for support. She looks a little pale, but Shaw looks a lot better.

 _"_ _Strange, but I'm alright. Are you?_ _Can't have you passing out out on me in the middle of the mission"_ Shaw replies and Root smiles brightly at her.

"Never been better."

"If you two are done flirting we could really use your help Shaw" Carter says.

 _"_ _We aren't flirting"_ Shaw denies in reply, but Root simply smiles up at her.

"Anything?" Reese asks through the comms.

"We've got an unexpected guest. Shaw's somehow managed to get here, only just. Can she get your reading Cole?" Carter replies. There's a slight delay in the answer, probably as the boys all look at each other in surprise (and the mental image makes Carter smile to herself a little.)

"She'd need to carry the equipment" Cole replies through the comms.

"Would she though? She can feel the energy, so can't she just narrow down the source without it?" Root replies.

"That could work" Cole replies after a moment, presumably after he thinks it over.

"Just stay in the shadows sweetie" Root says to Shaw, who raises an eyebrow and Root thinks better of it considering Shaw is practically a shadow herself.

"Can you keep us updated, or does that take too much energy? Or can you carry a comm?" Carter asks curiously.

 _"_ _I've never tried anything like this. I tried to leave my apartment of course, go to places that were familiar but it's as if, I don't know, I had forgotten how to get there or something. It's strange. I only got here because I thought of Root, and I've drained her energy before so maybe we're connected somehow?"_

"It's a good theory. Here, try this" Root says, handing Shaw an earbud. It falls right through her hand and Root shakes her head. Shaw holds her hand, palm down over it and she's able to make it hover off the ground a little, but that's about it.

"That rules it out then. Check back in with me?" There's a slight hesitation in Root's voice, like she doesn't want Shaw to go but knows there isn't another choice.

"Sure Root. You aren't getting rid of me that easily." They grin at each other before Shaw fades out, and Root takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"If anything happens to her" she says under her breath, not bothering to finish the threat as she feels Carter's hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"She'll be fine."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 - Into the Dark

Shaw doesn't have much of a sense of time, besides the light and the dark so 'checking in with Root' is a lot harder than she anticipated. Instead she uses her energy as a makeshift gauge. If Shaw starts to feel the inky blackness pulling her back she goes back to Root until she feels like herself again and she can go back out. It takes three tries before she's able to make it to the empty lot. Once she does she's certain that, whatever's going on is definitely underneath. She can feel it, like a kind of vibration underneath her. There's a strange familiarity about it, but she can't quite figure out why.

She's about to go back to Root again when a memory suddenly pops into her head, hitting her full force and surprising her with it's intensity. It was when she lay in her apartment, bleeding out from a bullet wound that was a parting gift from an intruder. The strange energy and vibration had been present then. She also remembers something else, but it's right before she passed out so the memory is fuzzy.

There was a light. A green light and a strange beeping sound.

Green flash, beep, green flash, beep.

Red light.

Shaw suddenly remembers what she has to do.

Root starts to get worried when nearly twenty minutes tick by and Shaw doesn't come back. She sits anxiously, fiddling with a taser she found under the seat.

"I'm sure everything is fine" Carter says but she shakes her head.

"She should have been back by now."

"She will be soon, you'll see."

The comms crackle back to life, Fusco's voice coming through choppily.

"Everything okay coca puffs?"

"Shaw seems to be a little MIA at the moment" Carter replies. There's a burst of static and then Fusco's voice comes through in short bursts.

"Wh….didn't qui….get tha….can yo…repeat?"

"I said Shaw is MIA" Carter replies, carefully pronouncing each word. The static seems to be getting worse and it's giving her a bad feeling. If there's one thing serving in the line of duty has taught her it's to always trust her instincts. Right now those instincts are telling her that Root is right: something's wrong.

There's no reply and the two women look at each other.

"Should we check it out?" Root asks, gripping the taser a little bit tighter in her hand.

"Perhaps just a quick look. Can you get hold of Finch?" Root pulls out her phone but there's no reception.

"Huh, that's strange. No reception, I don't like this" she says, putting it away and grabbing her laptop. The signal on there is dead as well.

"Anything?" Carter asks and she shakes her head, slowly grabbing the taser before she decides her gun might be a better idea. Carter doesn't say anything as Root checks her clip, finding it full.

"We should go check on the boys first, make sure everything's okay. Maybe someone spotted them and they're jamming the signal?" Root nods and Carter starts the engine. It splutters before it dies.

"What the hell?" She mumbles. Root watches as her laptop also goes down, and she checks her phone to find it dead as well.

"Did they do this?" Carter asks and Root shakes her head.

"In theory they could mess with the comms and electronics but not the car. They would have to manually disable the battery or something."

"So what, this is just a coincidence?"

"I don't believe in coincidences, especially not right now. If they know we're here then heading back towards the boys might not be such a good idea, it might give them away."

"That's if they don't already have them" Carter replies.

"Then why hasn't anyone come for us yet?" Then a thought occurs to Root.

"Sameen, sweetie is this you?" She asks, receiving only silence in reply.

"Why would she do this?" Carter asks.

"Maybe she found something and she doesn't want to put us in danger?"

"But why not just tell us?"

"You're right. She's the only one who could do something like this though."

"Maybe not" Carter replies, swallowing nervously.

"What do you mean?"

"Well Shaw can't be the only ghost that exists, can she?"

"Wait, you think that…?"

"We can't rule anything out. Right now I think we need to move, we'll only be a target if we stay here. Grab any weapons you can and lets go. Oh, and please stay behind me." Any other time Root would have made a snarky remark but right now her nerves are too on edge. She grabs the taser and tucks it into the small of her back. She also grabs her backpack, tucking her laptop into it in case it starts working again. They try the comms one last time but there's nothing but silence.

"Ready?" Carter asks and Root nods, taking up position behind her. She counts backwards from three and swings open the doors. The cold night air rushes in to greet them and Root shivers, wishing she had worn more than just a flimsy hoodie.

Carter clicks on her police issue flashlight and Root is relieved when it stays on. That makes the possibility of another ghost a little less likely.

They carefully step out, gravel crunching under their feet as they cross the abandoned road, into the trees on the other side. They pause there and Root pulls off her backpack, rummaging through in the dark before she finds what she's looking for: the night vision goggles.

"Anything?" Carter whispers as she scans the empty lot, warehouse and surrounding trees.

"Nothing. Can we get a better vantage point so I can see the van?" Root whispers back.

"Sure. Stick to the trees and try not to make too much noise. I'm going to turn off the flashlight so it doesn't give us away, you can lead us with those."

Root re-zips her bag as quietly as she can and swings it back on, feeling it bump against the taser.

"Ready?" She whispers, adjusting herself so she has the goggles on and the gun out in front of her.

"As ready as I'll ever be."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 - Static

Despite Root's best efforts fallen branches and leaves still crunch under her boots, making an obnoxious amount of noise in the otherwise quiet night. There's a distinct lack of the usual night sounds: cars, crickets etc. As they get closer to the lot there's also a strange buzzing sound in the air, faint but audible.

"Do you hear that?" she whispers to Carter.

"That buzzing? Yeah. What do you think it is?"

"A generator or static maybe" Root replies but she doesn't sound convinced. Neither is Carter, who clicks her safely off. Root does the same as they slowly approach the fence that surrounds the lot.

They stay within the trees and it takes Root a few minutes to find a good vantage point of the van that's still concealed. It looks untouched and the windows are tinted so she can't see inside. There aren't any lights on and there doesn't appear to be any movement from inside. Nothing seems disturbed around it and they would have heard gun shots if there had been any, and knowing Reese there would have been.

"Nothing. Do you think it's safe to approach them?" Root asks.

"I don't think so. Something isn't right about this."

"You know what else is off? If this is a secret government facility, where are the security cameras?"

"Maybe they didn't want anyone to get suspicious?" Carter suggests.

"Perhaps, but they wouldn't want anyone getting in or out."

"Then maybe there's another entrance somewhere?" Root nods even though Carter probably can't see it in the dark.

"Either we leave and try to contact Finch, make our way around to check on the boys or go in. I'm leaning towards the third option, even though it's probably the least safest."

"I agree with you. The boys can handle themselves and so can we. I don't think my radio is working though, so if we do this calling for back-up isn't going to be an option."

"Wait, your radio. Can I have it for a minute?" Root asks. She can hear Carter shuffling around in the dark before she holds it out. Root takes it, fumbling around for a moment. Even with the night goggles the small knobs are hard to turn in the dark.

At first there's just silence, but as Root starts changing the frequencies she finds bursts of static. They start getting louder and more consistent as she dials in until they can make out voices. It's patchy and hard to hear, but they make out a few things.

"Negative on…..subjects gone….over."

"Find them….can't….gone far….over."

"You…..contain….security breach…."

"This is not good" Carter whispers.

"It's too late to go back now" Root replies. The radio crackles again and this time the voices sound more frantic.

"Perimeter breach…..are down….someone's inside…can't locate…..men down…"

"Shaw?" Carter asks.

"Maybe. Ready to check it out?"

"Yes." Root turns off the radio and gives it back to Carter in case the noise gives away their position. Then she takes a deep breath, once again holding her gun out in front of her as they make their way towards the warehouse, staying in the trees and going around the perimeter of the lot.

They get as close as they can to the warehouse while still staying in the tree line. Once again Root looks around, but there's no signs of activity.

"I think we're clear" she whispers.

"On three" Carter replies. "Ready? One, two, three." They bolt from the trees to a broken window on the side of the abandoned warehouse. Root quickly takes a peek while Carter keeps a look out.

"It's clear" she whispers, tucking her gun into her jeans so she can reach up and climb through. Carter follows her.

Inside there are some old shelves pushed towards the walls and a lot of dust but the rest is just a big empty space. There appears to be an office space off to one side, and next to it is an old freight elevator.

"The elevator is over there. I can't see any cameras anywhere, I think we're okay to go ahead" Root whispers, her voice slightly louder as it bounces off the walls, echoing around the empty. They pause, standing frozen for a moment as they listen for any sounds of movement but none come.

"Okay" Root whispers, her voice barely louder than a breath. Carefully they make their way through the dark, their footsteps echoing slightly.

The doors of the elevator are dusty and unused. Root wonders if they're in the right place, but if she's wrong there's no harm in checking. She pulls them open, and they make a lot of noise as they scrape across the concrete floor. The elevator is older than she expected and she wonders if it's safe to use.

"What do you think?"

"It's your call but I think we should go down" Carter replies.

"Okay then." They get in and the elevator rocks slightly, groaning in protest.

"Is this thing even safe?" Carter whispers as Root closes the doors.

"Only one way to find out" she replies, finding the buttons and pressing the down arrow. At first nothing happens and Root wonders if it's got any power, but then there's a tremendous groan as the elevator comes back to life and beings a downward descent.

They stay tensed, guns out for whatever might be on the other side as they slowly comes to a stop. The doors don't open so Root has to pull them while Carter covers her from behind. A small amount of artificial light comes through the crack and Root uses one hand to pull of her goggles, placing them gently on the floor.

It's a lot harder to get the doors open from the inside but eventually (with a little bit of Carter's help) Root manages.

There's no-one to greet them on the other side and they appear to be in an unused corridor, lit by dull fluorescent lights. It doesn't look anything like the underground storage suggested in the old plans.

"What is this place?" Carter whispers, taking the lead as they slowly make their way down.

"I don't know but it can't be good" Root replies. "I'll take right, you take left?"

"Sounds good to me."

They slowly approach the end of the corridor, swinging in their respective directions with guns drawn. On Root's side is another corridor with a single metal door at the end. There's another corridor on Carter's side.

"What do you think is in there?" Root whispers.

"Why don't we find out."


End file.
